


Stay With Me

by Zephyros22



Category: Zombies Run!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-04
Updated: 2015-02-04
Packaged: 2018-03-10 12:41:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3290702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zephyros22/pseuds/Zephyros22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five does not sleep, they anguish.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay With Me

Five has nightmares.

They come in the twilight hours of neither consciousness nor sleep. Five lays in their bed, arms wrapped around a pillow, praying for the thoughts to go away. Five hopes and wishes that their mind would not be plagued with thoughts of death and destruction. They silently plead for the faces of friends lost to haunt them mercilessly. Five does not sleep, they anguish. They anguish for those passed and those missing. They grieve for the dead in the moments between rest and sunrise.

It is always on these nights that Five finds themselves slipping from their cot and gliding across the floor towards a familiar room. They are silent, careful not to wake those around them and disturb the peaceful sleep that Five does not have. 

It takes only the softest of taps on the door to wake Sam. Five strains their ears to hear the whispered response that permits them to enter. 

Five is delicate and precise, opening and closing the door with barely a sound. They do not strain their eyes to see in the dark room, already knowing the position of the sparse furnishings by now. Five can just barely make out the outline of Sam's body on the bed, bundled against the chill that seeps from the window. Inky black clouds roil outside, and Five swears that there used to be a moon in the sky. 

They must have hesitated a moment too long, for Sam shifts slightly and whispers Five's name ever so softly. Five crosses the room and quietly pushes the blankets out of the way so they can fit on the bed with Sam. The Radio Operator gives no indication that they are disturbed by Five's presence, for which Five is grateful. Five pulls the blankets over them both, curling into Sam's warmth. Together they lay in still silence.

Five does not expect Sam to speak, he never does anymore. They came to a silent, unspoken understanding so long ago that Five no longer remembers when it was. They recalled Sam did try to ask them once, what fueled their nightmares, but Five did not respond. Sam never asked again.

Five finds their hands clinging to the material of Sam's shirt, clenching the fabric between their fingers. Their body is taut, muscles coiled. They hardly breathe, seemingly as still as a statue. Five lays awake, eyes open. They listen to the sounds of midnight, to the sound of Sam's gentle exhales.

Five does not notice as they begin to shiver. Small, tiny tremors race up their spine. Five's eyes are squeezed shut, trying to think of something, _anything_ , other than the ghosts that surround them. 

Sam is quiet as he whispers Five's name. When Five does not respond, he pauses. Carefully, he turns on his cot so as to not disturb the runner. He faces Five, watches them as they shake and shiver. He does not touch them, not at first. He waits for Five to open their eyes, to see him. But as Five continues to hide from their thoughts, he reaches out slowly and gently. Sam's palm comes to rest flat against Five's shoulder. It takes a moment for Five to notice. Gradually, Five stops shaking.

Five is hesitant to open their eyes. They are afraid to look at Sam. They do not wish for him to speak, for him to stare at them with those kind, dark eyes. They do not want to feel vulnerable, to expose themselves to Sam. They wish to remain strong. Sam never speaks, and Five is grateful for that. They do not need anything more than this. Now, Five knows Sam will whisper some meaningless reassurance to them. They would rather go back to their nightmares than allow the dark haired radio operator to be their only source of comfort. 

Yet Sam seems to read their thoughts. It is then that Sam finally speaks. His voice is barely audible, hardly a whisper as he stares at the runner and murmurs: "You don't always need to be strong."

Five tenses again, drawing their legs closer to their chest. They refuse to open their eyes, but still listen to Sam's words.

"Five, as brave and as fast as you may be, you don't need to be alone." Sam's thumb runs along Five's bare shoulder. Five shivers. "I know Sara is gone, so is Simon, and Maxine and so many others. But you aren't alone. You can stop pretending."

Five has to swallow the lump in their throat. They want to scream, to cry and let the tears spill free, but they can't allow themselves that grace. 

And yet Sam's fingers rest on their shoulder, and his soft voice fills their thoughts. And for once, the ghosts seem to become quieter, to lessen their voices. Five relaxes, limbs going limp as they breathe in deeply...

and open their eyes.

Sam is inches away from them, so close their noses almost touch. Five watches as Sam's lips curve into a gentle smile. He speaks in a low soft voice, with words Five didn't know they needed to hear.

_"I'm not going anywhere, Five."_

And Five suddenly pressed to Sam, their bodies so close that Five can inhale Sam's scent. Sam's arms slowly come to rest around Five, hugging their body close to his. Sam buries his face into Five's hair and closes his eyes. He listens to Five's breathing as they struggle to not cry, to not break apart from Sam's words.

And yet Five speaks, delicate and soft.

"Stay with me."

and Sam replies

"Always."


End file.
